In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 621 Everything Continues as Usual: Making an Example

The Northern Pacification Regional Military Commission Office

It was almost noon, and lunchtime was fast approaching.

Duan Zhengze paced back and forth in the yamen, filled with doubt.

He would occasionally peek through the crack in the door.
Looking out from inside, they observed the bustling scene of people coming and going.

But the more I looked, the deeper my doubts became.

"Am I hallucinating? Or did nothing happen yesterday at all?"

Duan Zhengze straightened up and fell into deep thought.

The reason is that neither the government office nor the military command post has changed from usual today.
It remained as still as an ancient well, utterly lifeless.

However, the ensuing problems lingered in Duan Zhengze's mind.

"Where did Urgen and the others go? Did they really run away?"

Duan Zhengze still hadn't found the answer by the time the bell rang signaling the end of the court session.

He hesitated for a long time in the yamen office.

In the end, I decided not to go out to eat.
Instead, he picked up the lunchbox.

I plan to go to the cafeteria and observe the reactions of the adults.

After going around in circles, Duan Zhengze arrived at the cafeteria with his lunchbox.

Many people looked surprised when they saw him arrive, and some even asked him with a smile.

"Lord Duan is having lunch in the cafeteria today?"

Duan Zhengze forced a smile and replied:

"Well, it's too cold outside, so I won't go out."

"Yeah, it's only December and it's already this cold. I wonder how cold it will be after the New Year," someone chimed in with a laugh.

The process of getting food went very smoothly.

Because he was an official of the military command, his plate contained more rice, noodles, and meat than others.

But Duan Zhengze's focus was not on this.

He noticed that the officers seemed to be behaving normally.

It seems they have no idea what happened at the government office next door.

"Where did Urgen go?" This question came to mind again.

At this moment, Wei Qiwen, the Vice Commander in charge of affairs, walked over and sat down with a solemn expression.

He lowered his voice to a minimum and asked in a deep voice.

"Why haven't we taken any action yet? The longer we delay, the more Kuang Xiaofei will have to confess."

Duan Zhengze stared at him with a suspicious look, his brows furrowed:

"You really don't know what happened?"

"what?"

Wei Qiwen looked bewildered.
While looking at Duan Zhengze, he picked up the soup bowl, took a big gulp, and still had a piece of cabbage leaf stuck to the corner of his mouth.

"What happened?" he pressed.

Duan Zhengze shook his head. "It's nothing, it just feels a bit strange."

Wei Qiwen nodded and began to eat heartily, wolfing down his food.

This sight made Duan Zhengze even more irritated, and he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Lord Wei, are we not going to be able to eat this meal tomorrow?"

Wei Qiwen glanced at him blankly again, then chuckled.

"We're used to being poor at home, so if the food is free, we might as well eat it."

Then he continued to wolf down his food, his eating manners were quite exaggerated.

Duan Zhengze shook his head helplessly and put down his chopsticks:
"Lord Wei, let me tell you the truth."
There was action taken yesterday, but nothing has happened today.

Wei Qiwen chewed his food, looked up at the people around him, and said in a low voice.

"Eat quickly, and we'll talk back in the office after we finish eating. This isn't the place to talk."

"Um"

A quarter of an hour later, the two returned to Duan Zhengze's office.

Duan Zhengze told Wei Qiwen about yesterday's arrangements in detail.

Wei Qiwen looked on incredulously.

"We've arranged for someone, but there's been no response? What's going on?"

She probably poured out her pent-up frustrations.
Duan Zhengze's complexion improved, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's exactly what I'm wondering about."

Urigen's fate remains unknown, as does Kuang Xiaofei's.

This morning, I even wondered if yesterday's arrangements were just a dream.

"Didn't you ask Lord Tan?"
He was in charge of training and also commanded the city's defense forces.
"He should be the first to know if anything happens," Wei Qiwen asked.

Duan Zhengze raised his eyebrows and shook his head sharply:

“Tan Wei is not one of us, so how dare we ask him that?”

Besides, someone saw it yesterday.
He went to Lu Yunyi's office and stayed there for a long time before coming out, his face beaming with joy!

Wei Qiwen's expression turned serious; he had also heard about this news.

Taking a deep breath, he voiced his guess.

"I think Urgen is dead."

Duan Zhengze's heart sank. "Tell me."

"It snowed heavily last night. Even though Urgen is a grassland dweller, he wouldn't dare to act rashly in such heavy snow. That would be tantamount to courting death."

Moreover, there was no movement at any of the four city gates of Daning yesterday, so he did not leave the city.

Since they haven't left the city and can't be found, they're most likely dead.

After listening to Wei Qiwen's words,
Duan Zhengze's last glimmer of hope was shattered.

He slowly closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

"What a brilliant tactic!"

Seeing him like this, Wei Qiwen sat to the side, lost in thought.

"Brother Duan, things have come to this point, is there any way out for us?"

"A way out? Lu Yunyi has only been here a few days, and he's already cornered us by capturing Kuang Xiaofei."

This is clearly leaving us no room for maneuver; there's no way out for us.

Duan Zhengze slowly opened his eyes, a fierce glint flashing in them.

"But we're not to be trifled with either,"

We're all seasoned veterans; who's afraid of whom!

This sounds more like he's trying to bolster his own courage.

Even Wei Qiwen, who was standing to the side, felt that these words lacked confidence, and his expression changed slightly.

"Brother Duan, how about you back down?"

He asked tentatively, and seeing Duan Zhengze's wide eyes, he quickly added.

"Lu Yunyi only wants the land reclamation rights you hold. Just give them to him; it's better than losing your official position and your life."

Duan Zhengze sat up straight, staring blankly at Wei Qiwen, his eyes slightly narrowed:

"Are you afraid?"

"Me? I'm not afraid."

Duan Zhengze didn't argue with him and continued speaking to himself.

"Since you're scared, I have nothing more to say."

The land reclamation program was a mess to begin with.
It's easy to hand over something, but it's difficult to get it back.

After Lu Yunyi investigated thoroughly, he discovered that the farmland and military settlements could not be recovered.

He'll definitely be angry, and he'll cause me trouble.

At that time, I became a powerless and helpless assistant commissioner, and I had no choice but to let him do whatever he wanted.
When it gets to that point, there's truly no way to retreat!

"Lu Yunyi has just arrived, and the court probably doesn't want to see the military headquarters in chaos, so he should exercise some restraint."

Whether to encourage himself or to comfort himself, Duan Zhengze added another sentence.

"I think you underestimate the imperial court."

The imperial court is already in turmoil.
"Daning is just a place outside the Great Wall; who would bother to bother with it?"

Wei Qiwen shook his head.
Just then, a knock on the door startled the two of them, who turned sharply to look at the doorway.

A tall figure was reflected on the window paper, standing there quietly.

"Lord Duan, may I come in?" Lu Yunyi's youthful voice came from inside.

Duan Zhengze's expression changed. "Why is he here?"

He looked at Wei Qiwen and quickly waved his hand:
"Quick, hide! Don't let him find you here, or you'll have trouble explaining yourself."

A hint of panic flashed across Wei Qiwen's face.
He hurriedly ran into the inner room and hid behind the screen.

At this moment, Duan Zhengze coughed lightly, jogged to the door, and opened it.

The cold wind that rushed towards them and Lu Yunyi's young and handsome face came into view at the same time.

But just two days later, Duan Zhengze no longer dared to hold onto his initial contempt.

He became wary and even his voice softened considerably.

"It's Lord Lu! Please come in."

"If you need anything, just let me know. There's no need for you to come all this way."

Lu Yunyi walked in with a smile.
At a glance, you can see two cups of hot tea on the desk, as well as a somewhat messy cushion.

He looked around the yamen thoughtfully and said with a smile.

"Having nothing to do, I take a walk around."

"I've unknowingly arrived here before you, Lord Duan. I hope I haven't disturbed you."

"No disturbance, no disturbance. Lord Lu has just arrived at the Commandery, it would be good for him to take a look around the various offices."

The military headquarters was very large.

Some clerks and officials had their offices hidden in secluded corners.

When I first arrived, there were many places I wasn't familiar with either. Uh!

Duan Zhengze closed the door and turned around.
Upon seeing the two cups of hot tea, his expression instantly froze.

Seeing that Lu Yunyi didn't seem to care, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lord Duan, how long have you been in Da Ning?"

Lu Yunyi stood in front of a landscape painting, examining it carefully, and asked a question.

"Reporting to Lord Lu, it has been five years."

"You came before the military command was even established. You've worked hard."

Lu Yunyi's voice carried a hint of emotion.

Duan Zhengze felt something was amiss, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Not understanding what he meant, I simply asked him directly.

"May I ask what brings Lord Lu here today?"

"It's like this, my men have captured a petty thief who was trying to spy on the city's defenses."

I heard it's quite famous in the city, so I came to inquire.
"To avoid the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple and harming our own people."

Duan Zhengze's heart tightened, and the image of Wurigen immediately flashed into his mind.

But for some reason, upon hearing this news,

He felt a little more at ease.

At least, we know where the person went.

But the next moment, Lu Yunyi's words made his heart jump again, and he even broke out in a cold sweat.

"That man's name is Mi Bin. I heard he is the second manager of the Mi family on Wenchang Street in the city."

If I remember correctly, it was October of the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign.

The Mi family had purchased a portion of fertile land from the imperial court, and it was Mi Bin who handled this transaction.

Lu Yunyi smiled as he turned around.
The gaze fell on Duan Zhengze, as if weighed down by a thousand pounds, freezing him in place.

"How could this be? How could he have been arrested? This... this..."

Duan Zhengze's thoughts were in turmoil, his lips were tightly closed, and his throat moved slightly.

He forced a smile, his face showing embarrassment.

"Sir, is there some misunderstanding here?"
The Mi family made significant contributions to the construction of the military headquarters.

"Oh? What merit? Embezzling land? Or oppressing the people?"
Or perhaps they would act as middlemen between the nomadic people and the common people of the Ming Dynasty, profiting from both sides?

Duan Zhengze's pupils suddenly contracted, even though there was a heater in the room.
He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his whole body was cold, and he had difficulty breathing.

Lu Yunyi ignored his unusual behavior.
He sat down quietly at the head of the table and asked thoughtfully.

"Does the Mi family have a connection with Lord Duan?"

Duan Zhengze's breathing became somewhat rapid. "Lord Lu, it's impossible to say we have no relationship."

During the construction of Daning City and the reclamation of farmland

The Mi family was of great help, and I also know Mi Bin.

But he's always been known for his honesty and integrity; why would he be inquiring about the defenses of the military command?

Lu Yunyi sat there, his expression gentle.

"Someone was just caught red-handed inquiring about the troop movements at the four city gates last night."

Following the clues, they discovered it was him all along.

Duan Zhengze's lips twitched slightly, feeling utterly helpless about the stupidity of these people.

What kind of time is this to be so reckless!
"wrong."

Duan Zhengze suddenly realized something.

Why would Lu Yunyi specifically come to tell him this? There must be a deeper meaning behind it.

Soon, Duan Zhengze's pupils dilated slightly:

"Tan Wei!"

"Tan Wei has sided with him? Yes, that must be it."

Otherwise, how would he know the movements at the four city gates and arrest people so decisively? Tan Wei must have broken the tacit agreement!

Once Duan Zhengze understood this, he immediately felt an immense pressure bearing down on him.

How can we fight?
The man before me commands elite troops and has spies both inside and outside the military.
Now even Tan Wei, who is in charge of the defense of Daning City, has defected to him. How could he possibly defeat him?
Duan Zhengze was deeply troubled, while Wei Qiwen, hiding behind the screen, was so frightened that he quickly covered his mouth.

In the chaos, I bumped into the screen, making a few soft noises.

Lu Yunyi turned his gaze to the screen and asked curiously:
"Does Lord Duan have guests?"

"No, no. It should be a mouse."

Duan Zhengze answered haltingly.

Lu Yunyi looked enlightened and nodded repeatedly.

"There are quite a few monsters and demons outside this pass, even rats in the dead of winter."

Lu Yunyi stood up, looking at Duan Zhengze with a broad smile:
"Lord Duan, since the Mi family has some connection with you..."
As for Mi Bin, I will show leniency.

Duan Zhengze was taken aback, and then a sense of joy welled up in his heart.

In his view, this was clearly a gesture of goodwill from Lu Yunyi, or even a signal that he didn't want to escalate the situation.

But Lu Yunyi's next words left Duan Zhengze frozen in place.

"According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, the act of inquiring about defenses should result in the exile of three clans."

However, considering that Daning is a border town, let's just deal with him alone.

"By next spring, the price at Caishikou will be halved."

After saying that, Lu Yunyi smiled and pushed open the door to leave.

His voice could be heard faintly.

"Lord Duan, you can open the door and let the rats out of the house."

Duan Zhengze's face instantly turned bright red.

He stormed to the door, slammed it shut, and began to curse loudly.

"This is a provocation! A provocation!!"

At this moment, Wei Qiwen, who had been hiding behind the screen, slowly walked out, his expression strange, with a hint of lingering fear.

"Brother Duan, what should we do?"

I'll go find Lord Zhou.
I refuse to believe that all these years of sharing joys and sorrows are less valuable than him causing trouble here for a few days.

Duan Zhengze left after saying a few words.

Soon, he saw Zhou Xing, who was wrapped in a robe and reading documents, in the main room of the back hall.

"Why did you rush over here so quickly?"

Zhou Xing didn't even look up, his eyes fixed on the documents. He casually picked up the small bamboo cup on the table and took a sip of tea.

"Lord Zhou, isn't Lord Lu going too far!"

"what happened?"

Zhou Xing glanced up at him and asked, "Did this kid offend you?"

"That's not true.

Lord Zhou, do you still remember the Mi family?
He arrested the second-in-command of the Mi family and said he would cut him in half at the waist next spring!

If word gets out, it will definitely cause an uproar in Daning City.
The situation we've worked so hard to maintain is about to be completely destroyed.

Zhou Xing nodded thoughtfully.

"The Mi family? I remember them. Tell me in detail, how did he manage to arrest the Mi family's people?"

Duan Zhengze embellished the story and concluded by saying...

"My lord, how could Da Ning have achieved its current state?"
It is the result of the joint efforts of you, me, and many other merchants in the city.

"Now that Lu Yunyi has just arrived, he's already trying to ruin everything! This is absolutely outrageous!"

Zhou Xing laughed and wrapped his robe around himself even tighter.

"Lord Duan, please don't be anxious."

Since Mi Bin has broken the law, he cannot disregard the laws of the Ming Dynasty.

Those who deserve punishment should be punished, and those who deserve appeasement should be appeased.

"Lord Lu has just arrived at the Beiping Military Command; we should at least give him some face."

Duan Zhengze's expression turned anxious, and he was about to speak again,
Zhou Xing suddenly started coughing violently.

"In that case, if Lord Duan has any ideas, he should go and communicate with Lord Lu."

I will be going to Beiping to recuperate in a few days.

Many of the affairs of the Commandery were entrusted to Lord Lu.

You should get along well with Lord Lu.

We're all struggling to survive outside the Great Wall, why make things difficult for each other?

"me."

Duan Zhengze hesitated several times before speaking.

It was clearly Lu Yunyi who was making things difficult for others, so how did it become that I was the one making things difficult for him?

As Duan Zhengze left the yamen, a gust of cold wind blew through him, and his mind suddenly became much clearer.

Looking at the lifeless scene inside the headquarters, he muttered to himself thoughtfully.

"Perhaps the imperial court and Lord Zhou..."
Everyone wants to change the current situation of the Commandery, which is why they sent Lu Yunyi.

"At this point, if I were to walk right into the line of fire, it wouldn't be because he was the one looking for trouble."

Duan Zhengze's expression turned extremely strange, and his sense of crisis increased greatly.

"Killing the chicken to scare the monkey?"

(End of this chapter)